Pavement grid structure



L. R. M KENZlE PAVEMENT GRID STRUCTURE June 17, 1930.

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Filed Sept. s, 1928 Z2 H Patented June 17, 1930 units. 'rrs LEON R;rvrAcxnnzin, or one MOINES, Iowa PAVEMENT GRID STRUCTURE Applicationfiled. September 8, 1928. Serial No. 304,788.

or freshly laid plastic material and thereafter the grid structure issubjected to vibrations, impaction or other methods for densifying theconcrete or plastic mixture and for removing any air which may be withinthe plastic material and for bringing the thin mortar up and over thecoarse aggregate forming a part of the plastic material. Another objectresides in the arrangement of the plurality of elongated cleatsuniformly spaced apart and connected together by trans verse tie rodsreceived within the cleat members proper so that the upper and lowersurfaces of the completed grid structure are unobstructed thus enablingthe grid structure to be used by engagement of either its bottom surfaceor top surface with the plastic material.

- Still another object is to provide spacer members carriedby the tierod and received between the adjacent cleat members for holding thecleat members in proper spaced position and at the same time glvingrigidity to the entire grid structure.

Still another object is to provide means of connection between eachspacer element and itsadjacent cleat member for preventing movement ofone of the members relative to the other.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in theconstruction, ar-.

rangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby theobjectscontemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth,pointed out in my claims, and

the grid structure in spaced apart position showing the relation ofonepart relative to the other. 7

F1gure3 1s a sectional view taken on the hue 3-3 of Figure 2 showing aFigure 41 is a sectional view through one of the grid sections restingupon a plastic pavement construction. j

Figure 5-is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of gridstructure where the tie rods run lengthwise of the platform.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one ofthe spacer cleats of thekindused in connection ranged side by side and may be staggered relativeto each other so that the entire upper surface ofthe plastic material orpavement structure may be completely overlaid with grid sectionsm Eachsection is so arranged that when an adjacent section is placedthereagainst, there I is formed and provided an open spaceofsubstantially the same width as the space between any two cleat elementsof a single grid section. Each section includes a plurality of elongatedcleats 10.- Each cleat 10 is substan tiallyrectangular in cross section.v j i The cleats are uniformly spaced apart so as to provide spaces 12between each pair of cleats. The cleats are connected together by aplurality of tie rods 14 provided with heads 16 at one end and screwthreads 18 at their other ends. g i

The grid section as shown inFigure 1 of the drawings has the tie rods 14arrangedsubstantially at right angles to j' the cleats,10.'

, plurality of cleat members connected togethe i with the grid structureshownin Figures 5 Each cleat 10 is provided with a plurality of spacedopenings 20 of sufficient diameter to receive the tie rod 14.

In order to properly space the cleats uniformly apart, I provide anumber of spacer elements or blocks 22 each provided with a centralopening 24 adapted to register with the openings 20 in the cleats 10 andto have the tie rod 14 project therethrough.

It may be here mentioned that the cleats 10 as shown in Figure 1, may beof considerable length and that there is some flexibility of the cleatmembers themselves.

In order to give rigidity and stability to the entire assembled gridstructure, I provide pins or the like 26 upon the sides of the spacerelements or blocks 22 which pins project into openings 28 formed in thecleats 10.

It'inay be here mentioned that when the cleats 10 are formed of wood andthe spacer elements 22 formed of metal, that it is possible to have thepins 26 upon the spacer blocks 22 pierce the sides of the cleats 10 andproject thereinto without the necessity of actually forming openings inthe cleats 10.

The spacer elements 22 serve to maintain the cleats 10 in proper uniformspacing and at the same time prevent any lengthwise movement of one ofthe cleat elements relative to the others in the same section. It willbe further noted that the spacer elements 22 are spaced above the bottomof the cleats and below the top thereof so that after the entire gridstructure has been completely assembled so as to form a complete sectionas shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

then and thereafter the upper surfaces and the lower surfaces of thecleats may be planed-off or leveled so as to provide as true an upperand lower surface as possible.

' Either surface may rest uponthe plastic concrete material 30 andeither surface may receive a vibrating or impacting machine thereuponfor giving the plastic concrete material 30 the necessary movement ormotion for serving the purpose desired.

The tie rod 14 has a nut 32 mounted on the screw threaded end 18 thereofwhich nut 32 and washer 34, are of sufiicient width to equal thedistance between any two of the cleats 10, the result being that whenone 'section A is placed adjacent to another section the nut 32 or head16 together with the washer 34 tend to space the sections properdistance apart so that the two outside adjacent cleats of adjacentsections, are spaced the same distance apart as any two cleats of thesection proper.

In Figures 5, 6 and 7 I have shown a grid structure or section whereinthe cleats are 'comparativelyshort while the tie rod memjbers arerelatively long. Each of the cleats of Figure 5 are referred to by thereference numeral 35. The tie rods 36 are used for connecting the cleats35 together.

one surface of the cleats than the other tie red.

It may be said that the tie rods 36 are staggered relative to each otherso that there IS a tendency when one tie rod sags to cause the other tierods to stretch and it is well known that arranging tie rods in astaggered relationship prevents to a great degree free flexing of themembers connected together by such tie rods.

In order to take care of the staggered position of the tie rods 36 Iprovide a spacer block 38 having an opening 40 therein arranged in anoff-center position. A pin 42 is formed upon the spacer block 38 and thepin 42 projects into the sides of the cleat elements 35 for uniformlyspacing the cleats 35 and at the same time to tie them together,

together with the tie rods 36.

The tie rods 36 pro ect through openings formed in the short cleats 35and for all practical purposesthe structure shown in Figure 5 is thesame as the structure shown in Figure 1. In Figure 8 I have shown cleats44 arranged at an angle relative to tie rods 46.

In a grid section of the kind shown in Figure 8, it is necessarytoprovide spacer blocks or elements 48 arranged at an angle so that whenthe structure isentirely assembled, the cleats are held at an anglerelative to the tie rods and the entire structure is rigid to the extentthat the chat members will remain in the same position at all times.

In the practical use of my grid structure -I find tha-t either surfacemay be used and sections and that either surface serves equally as wellfor engagement with the plastic material.

The cleat members or spacer blocks may be either formed of wood or metaldepending upon the type of structure desired.

While I have referred to the use of my grid section in connection withvibrating machines or impacting machines, I want it understood that thegrid section may be used equally as well where heavy rollers are rolledover the grid sections or so-called jigging machines are used; I

My grid sections are adapted to transmit forces from mechanicallyoperated machines to the pavement for ridding the plastic material ofexcess water, properly distributing the mortar throughout the rockaggregate in the plastic material and eliminating air pockets or voidsin the plastic material. 1

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of'theparts of my device Without departing from the real spirit and purpose ofmy invention, and it is my intention'to cover by my claims, any modifiedforms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may bereasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. Ajpavement grid structure including a plurality of cleats having flatupper and lower surfaces, spacer elements received be tween the adjacentside walls of said cleats for providing spaces between said cleats,means of connection for said cleats and spacer elements, said means ofconnection projecting through said cleats and said spacer elementsbetween the u mm and lower surfaces thereof, whereby t e u per and lowersurfaces of said cleats are unobstructed, said means of connectioncausing frictional engagement between the cleats and spacer elements,and additional means for fixedly holding said spacer elements againstrota-- tion relative to said cleats- 2. A pavement grid structureincluding a plurality of uniformly spaced cleats having flat upper andlower surfaces, means of connection for said cleats, said means ofconnection projecting through said cleats between the upper and lowersurfaces thereof and extending transversely of the cleats, whereby theupper and lower surfaces are unobstructed, spacer elements carried bysaid means of connection and frictionally held relative to saidcleats,said means of connection being successively arranged in differenthorizontal planes.

3. ,A pavement grid structure including a plurality of uniformlyspaced'cleats having fiat upper and lower surfaces, means of connectionfor said cleats, said means of connection projecting through said cleatsbetween the upper and lower surfaces thereof and extending transverselyof the cleats, whereby the upper and lower surfaces are unobstructed,spacer elements carried by said means of connection and fixedly heldrelative to said cleats, and a pin formed on each of said spacerelements adapted to project into said cleats for holding them againstrotation relative to said cleats. V

4. A pavement grid section of materially greater length than widthcomprising a plurality of cleats havingfiat upper and lower surfaces,devices for uniformly spacing said cleats, and means projecting throughsaid cleats and said spacing devices for connecting them together andfor maintaining the grid section in assembled position, and spacingdevices having off centered openings for the means to extend through thecleats,

5. A pavement grid section of materially greater length than widthcomprising a plurality o'f transversely arranged cleats having flatupper and lower surfaces, devices for uniformly spacing said cleats, andmeans projecting through said cleats and said spacing devices forconnecting them together and for maintaining the grid section inassembled position, the cleats and spacing devices having off centeredand staggered openings for the means to extend through.

Des Moines, Iowa, September 5, 1928.

LEON R. MACKENZIE.

Hill

